New Hanover County · Since 1987
Dental Implants in Castle Hayne, NC
A dental implant replaces the root of a missing tooth with a titanium post, then a crown on top of it. It is the only replacement that keeps the jawbone working the way a natural tooth does.
- Three doctors, one location
- Sedation available
- Most major plans accepted
- Written estimates before treatment
A closer look at implants
When a tooth comes out, the bone that held it starts to shrink. That is why a face changes shape years after a loss, and why a bridge or partial that fit well in 2019 rocks by 2024. An implant stops that process because the post loads the bone every time you chew.
Why Castle Hayne patients come to us for this
Castle Hayne runs on shift work, the nuclear campus, the airport and the rail corridor, and employer dental benefits go unused every year.
Shift work makes daytime appointments difficult, and a cracked molar tends to get ignored until it abscesses. We open at 8:00 and will work with your rotation.
ILM airport sits just south of Castle Hayne, and the NC-133 run to N. 23rd Street avoids the worst of the city traffic.
GE Vernova Hitachi is the anchor employer, and shift patterns there shape how we schedule Castle Hayne appointments.
River Bluffs has added a different resident profile to what was a rural community a decade ago.
We see patients from across Castle Hayne and the surrounding area, including GE Vernova Hitachi, ILM airport, River Bluffs and the 28429 ZIP code.
New Hanover County is the built-out core of the region, growing around one percent a year, with roughly 21 percent of residents over 65 and the highest concentration of employer dental coverage in southeastern North Carolina.
We will be direct about how many days a physical job needs after surgical treatment, and we will schedule around a rotation rather than pretending it does not exist.
Early morning appointments starting at 8:00 so a cleaning does not cost you a shift.
You may be a candidate if
- You are missing one tooth, several teeth, or all of them
- A bridge or partial denture has started to move, click or trap food
- You want to stop wearing something removable
- You have enough bone, or are willing to have it built up first
- You are healthy enough for a routine outpatient procedure
How the treatment runs
- Consultation and 3D scanWe look at bone, bite and gum health, then show you the scan on screen and talk through what is realistic.
- Extraction or grafting, if neededSometimes a failing tooth comes out and the site is grafted the same day. Sometimes we place immediately.
- Implant placementA single implant takes under an hour. You are numb, and sedation is available if you want it.
- HealingThree to six months while bone grows onto the post. You leave with a temporary so nobody sees a gap.
- Final crownWe take records, the lab builds the crown to match your other teeth, and it goes on.
Afterwards
Most patients take ibuprofen for a day or two and go back to work the next morning. Once the final crown is on, you brush and floss it like a tooth. The maintenance that matters is your cleaning schedule, since the gum around an implant needs the same attention as gum around a root.
Follow-up appointments are brief and we open at 8:00, so they rarely cost more than the start of a shift.
What it costs
Implant cost depends on how many you need, whether a tooth has to come out first, and whether the site needs bone grafting. Some plans cover part of the restoration even when they exclude the implant itself. We give you a written number before you commit to anything, and we go through financing at the consultation.
Employer dental benefits reset annually and unused balance does not carry over. If you have not used yours this year, it is worth checking what is left before December.
In their own words
Hear from Dr. Barry Frazelle
Dr. Frazelle on why the injection is nothing to dread, and a cheap whitening habit he gives patients.
Questions we get asked
How long does a dental implant last?
The post itself is designed to be permanent, and implants placed decades ago are still in service. The crown on top is the part that eventually wears, usually somewhere past the fifteen year mark.
Does getting an implant hurt?
Placement is done under local anesthetic and most people describe it as easier than the extraction that preceded it. Soreness for two or three days is normal. Sedation is available if the idea of the appointment is the hard part.
How far is your office from Castle Hayne?
About 11 miles, or roughly 20 minutes via NC-133 South (Castle Hayne Road) to N. 23rd Street. We are at 1301 Physicians Dr in Wilmington, with parking at the door.
Do you see patients from Castle Hayne?
Regularly. Castle Hayne is part of our core service area in New Hanover County, and early morning appointments starting at 8:00 so a cleaning does not cost you a shift.
What are your hours?
Monday through Thursday, 8:00am to 5:00pm, and Friday, 8:00am to 12:00pm. Outside those hours, leave a message or use the appointment request form and we will come back to you with the first available time.
Dental Implants · Castle Hayne, NC
You have probably been told several different things about this.
Bring the opinions you have already been given. We will look at your scan with you and say which parts we agree with.
- Three doctors, 50+ years of combined experience
- Implant surgery and restoration in one building
- Sedation available for longer appointments
- Written, phased treatment plans with costs attached
Worried it is too much work at your age? Health matters far more than the number, and we will tell you if we think a smaller plan serves you better.
Request an appointment
We reply the next business day.
Please do not include Protected Health Information. For anything urgent, call (910) 762-0958.